Alles Gute Zum Geburts
by Lilac Lenalee
Summary: This is a Fruits Basket oneshot, focused around Momiji and his Mom.


A/N: This is a quick (and rough) little oneshot I dedicate to my deviantART friend, yes-its-yaz. It's my way of thanking her for the support and also for suggesting this idea to me, which is a tribute to Momiji and his mom (or Mutti, as he calls her). Please enjoy ~

* * *

_Just like how the cherry blossoms_

_Continue to flower, every year,_

_Will I continue to love you,_

_And remember you,_

_Mutti._

"Kyaaa, Tohru!"

The blonde haired boy known as Momiji Sohma leapt into view, his face radiating an immeasurable amount of bliss into the air like a newly hung air freshener. His outfit consisted of a sailor-blue jumpsuit, a rainbow beaded cardigan, and a froggy hat that was sure to make any girl squeal in delight. A pair of navy blue gladiator sandals completed the erratic look, a look that would no doubt make any unsuspecting person go temporarily blind if they weren't prepared for its playful vibrancy.

Frolicking like a rabbit released from its pen Momiji presented himself with majestic suaveness to Tohru. Caught completely off guard, the young girl dropped her overworked feather duster in an unanticipating tizzy, joy diffusing across her face as she recognized her blonde haired visitor.

"Momiji-kun, it's so good to see you!" Tohru beamed, her neatly plaited hair flouncing around her collarbone in an excited flurry. "What brings you here today?"

The seemingly standard question snagged at Momiji's smile for a moment, but not long enough to contain his bubbly cheerfulness. "I came to help Tohru with work, of course!" He gave his twinkling eyes a wink. "Now, where shall Momiji start?"

As Tohru ran off to gather him an arsenal of cleaning supplies, Momiji allowed his eyes to wander; he wasn't surprised when they rested with uncertain firmness on the door to his father's office.

"Are you okay with dusting?"

Tohru's sweet smiling face immediately brought him back to reality, causing Momiji to regain his contagious air of liveliness. "Ja!"

With unrivaled fire Momiji grabbed the feather duster from Tohru's grip, its flimsy plume of feathers waving frantically from his forceful grasp. "Let all dust bunnies be warned, Momiji has come to exterminate you!"

With hunter-like accuracy Momiji pranced atop the nearest counter, vigorously unsettling the delicate film of dust that rested on its surface with hurricane-strength motions. He was instantly joined by a frantic Tohru, her hands tangoing with cleanly motive across every table top as she wiped them off with unparalleled precision. Momiji felt his heart flip with laughter at the sight of her intense dedication.

"Must….clean…m-must….clean," Tohru huffed, the words tumbling out in incohesive jumbles between breaths. Her eyes were glued with magnetic allegiance to her current table-top patient, hands moving with such wild precision they appeared to be controlled by puppet strings.

In record time Tohru and Momiji had cleaned almost every square foot of the workspace, the delighted sparkle of the furniture clear evidence of their success.

Tohru slumped onto a chair with a deflating sigh. "We have succeeded in cleansing the room of all impurities."

"It's like we gave it a facial!" Momiji shrieked.

Tohru began giggling despite her worn out expression. "I'd like to experience a facial one day. I hear they're very rejuvenating."

"You've never had a facial, Tohru?" Momiji gave her an incredulous look; he had been under the impression that every girl had experienced a facial in life, whether it was the crappy sleepover ones or the luxury spa ones.

The doe-eyed girl blinked her eyes in naive wonderment. "Never!"

"Then someday we must go to the spa and get Tohru a facial!" Momiji was now grasping Tohru's tired hands in his own, his face blushing empathetically for the spa virgin obliviously standing before him. "Tohru's too cute not to be treated to such luxuries!"

"Oh, but Momiji-kun, I really couldn't," Tohru bit her lip in shy defiance. "I could never allow you to waste your precious time because of my conceited wishes—"

"Kommen jetzt, Tohru!" Momiji released her hands and pirouetted with carefree poise, his beaded cardigan glimmering with unstable solidity as his arms balanced by his side. "Leave it to me, I'll take care of everything!"

Momiji plummeted into a gravity-defying cartwheel, instantly resulting in the expulsion of all his pocket contents and a passionately clapping Tohru, her face frosted in sheer awe. He landed with a pre-mediated thud on his butt, all the items from his pockets surrounding him in a haphazard circle.

"Oh, let me help!" Tohru pleaded immediately, her weight thrown next to Momiji within milliseconds as she began picking up his belongings with meticulate speed. Delicately she picked up a tiny pink pouch, its contents sealed away safely with a piece of fingered tape; she stared at it with mesmerized curiosity.

"It's so pretty," Tohru breathed, her fingers gently skating across the pouch's surface in smooth strokes.

"It's for Mutti."

Tohru peered up at Momiji, the tiny package still cradled carefully in her hands. "You mean your—"

"Yes, for my Mama."

As if beckoned by the ironic hands of karma the elevator doors slid open to reveal a gorgeous young woman, her gold colored hair and aqua eyes shining radiantly beneath the fluorescent office lights. She walked with perfectly measured strides out of the elevator's frame, her eyes focused securely ahead of her as she set out on her designated route. Tohru stood up like a statically charged hair, her posture in perfect condition as she stared in awe at the lady walking before her.

"G-G-Good evening, err—"

She felt a hand wrap warmly around her wrist. "It's okay."

Momiji was grinning up at her, his smile weighed down with unspoken despair.

"Momiji-kun…"

A finger rested atop his lips as he hushed Tohru's spoken thoughts. "Today's Mutti's birthday. Isn't that wonderful?"

The two steeped in silence as the woman's heeled footsteps dissipated into the distance.

Tohru was the first to warm the air with her gentle voice. "This is for her, isn't it?" She held the tiny pink pouch with newfound fragility, her sparkling azure eyes staring down at the gift with waxing emotion. "For her birthday?"

"Yes," Momiji whispered, almost inaudibly, as his eyes rested on the dull carpet below him. "Even if she doesn't know about me, even if she no longer feels any love for me, I still wanted to remind her that she's always in my heart."

The atmosphere seemed to recoil in empathy. "They'll be going out soon," he continued quietly. "To celebrate. Papa will take Mutti to go pick up Momo, and then they'll all celebrate together."

Tohru reached her hand towards Momiji.

"As a family."

Tohru let her palm rest lightly overtop Momiji's. The monsoon of tears was already beginning to unsteadily outline her eyes, bathing them in a shaky spotlight of liquid sympathy as she fought the urge to embrace the lonely boy beside her. "Mo…Momiji….kun…"

"You know what I got her?" he spoke with a distant happiness, as if the source of it only existed somewhere deep within his memories. "I got her a pearl necklace. Just a single pearl, hanging off a chain."

"I'm sure she'll love it," Tohru's voice shivered as she held back tears. "I bet it's beautiful."

"It is." Momiji looked lovingly at the precious package within Tohru's hand, his eyes smiling at it with sleepy reverence. "Papa always told me how Mutti loved pretty jewelry, and when I think of her," his voice stopped, as if slowly comprehending what he was saying. "I picture her wearing pearls."

"That's…that's…" Tohru smiled softly, tears slipping delicately from her eyes as she closed them gently. "That's so thoughtful of you, Momiji-kun."

With tender care Tohru placed the gift in Momiji's hand, her eyes shining like miniature blue moons. "I still remember how my mother would treasure the gifts I got her. For her birthday, I mean. I just wish, though…" Tohru's words seemed to catch in her throat. "I just wish…that your mother could know, Momiji-kun."

"But even if she doesn't know," Momiji breathed, his eyes now linked with Tohru's, "the memory will always be there, stored in that pearl. Right, Tohru?"

Tohru smiled reassuringly. "Right."

Inhaling deeply Momiji stood up, his gaze directed with potent fortitude towards the door his mother had walked towards only minutes ago. He nearly jumped as Tohru slipped her hand into his; she gave it a comforting squeeze. "You can do it, Momiji-kun."

Hand in hand the two friends approached the target office. When they arrived all was quiet, save for muffled murmuring gently seeping from behind the door; Momiji released his hand from Tohru's before they both knelt in silent secrecy at the foot of the door.

"Happy birthday, Mutti-san," Tohru whispered quietly, tears streaming down her face like sparkling party streamers.

Momiji placed the teensy pink pouch at the base of the door, his eyes resting on it for a few seconds before words came to life. "Alles gute zum geburtstag, Mutti."

_And even when the sakura petals_

_Start to wilt,_

_My undying love will nurture _

_their return,_

_And revive,_

_their undone memories. _

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed!! I know it's not the greatest, but it just came to me so suddenly, I just had to write it. And I love writing about Tohru, she's fun to embody! And here's the translations for the german words I used:

Mutti -- Mom  
Alles Gute Zum Geburts -- Happy Birthday  
Ja -- Yes  
Kommen jetzt -- Don't worry

So, hope you enjoyed!! All reviews and faves are greatly appreciated, as always :) OH!! And I'd like to sincerely thank _duckie lover 151_, I really can't thank you enough for your wonderful review!! 333


End file.
